Features Agronomy Corn
INTRODUCTION: The reading season

As harvest winds up in most regions, the next season's plans are underway,
with seed choices and fall soil testing, it is time to begin the consultation
process. Meetings with crop advisors, financial advisors and fellow growers
will be on the agenda to reflect on the last year and project for the next.

We begin the 'reading season' with the canola focus edition of Top Crop
Manager and it includes stories on this crop and others. New this year is
a series on 'farm business and management'. In this and subsequent issues, Top
Crop Manager will provide a story on this topic area gleaned from various
knowledgeable sources. This issue features a family farm operation which is
successfully applying advice on managing its staff of seven, plus family members:
see page 50 to learn how Fred and Irene Koskamp approach human resources management.

You can look forward to receiving six issues of Top Crop Manager on
a monthly schedule until early April 2006. While all issues will provide stories
on various aspects of field crop production, individual issues will have special
features or a focus on a specific topic: the December issue will include a review
and preview of two newer prairie crops, corn and soybeans; and the Mid-Spring
Issue in March will have a pulse focus and the annual weed control guide.
The Harvest Issue will appear as usual in July.
Peter Darbishire, Editor